Nowra Hill siblings Mason and Jayla Beresford alongside Shoalhaven Heads’ Jemma Howard-Coney have returned home with outstanding results from the 2018 Mini Trots Inter Dominion at Tabcorp Park Melton, Victoria on Saturday night.
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All three qualified to represent the NSW Mini Trotting Association (NSWMTA) team, and proved they were up to the task.
Jemma Howard-Coney, 16, took out the Shetland division final with Secret Mission, on what is considered the night of nights in Australasian harness racing.
“It felt amazing, it was such a big thrill to win a big event on a big night like that, it feels like I’ve ticked it off my bucket list,” Jemma said.
“I literally had tears in my eyes going over the line.”
The trip south didn’t go exactly to plan, with an unexpected detour required.
“On the way down we got stuck in flood water and so we had to go back for two hours, back through a small town,” Jemma said.
“We came out only 25 kilometres from where the floods were, but we got there in the end.”
Mason, 15, now has the fastest miniature pony – Pay The Aces – in Australia, after winning the miniature division final.
He exceeded all expectations going into the competition.
“I would just like to thank my mum and dad for supporting me and my sister with the sports we both love, and our sponsors Hyland Sportswear and Nathan Xuereb farrier service,” Mason said.
Jayla, 12, was delighted with her gorgeous Shetland Nidya, coming away with a second place in the Shetland division final. She now has the second fastest Shetland in Australia.
Mason and Jayla both enjoy the sport of Mini Trots and are hoping to get into harness racing with the large horses when they are old enough.
Harness racing was once a flourishing sport on the South Coast and the Nowra Paceway was once popular on the country circuit.
Berry was home to one of the most highly regarded trainers and drivers in Kevin Robinson.
Since the Nowra track was closed by the NSW Harness Racing Association in the late nineties, the number of horses and trainers has slowly dwindled, with the track now serving as a training complex and for holding qualifying trials for the dedicated group who still train in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra.
However, with the formation of the Shoalhaven Mini Trotters Association, has come a new breed of participants, who are passionate about the sport.
Jemma, Mason and Jayla are three young drivers/trainers part of a larger contingent in the region who are a credit to the wonderful sport of harness racing.
